


Here

by Babukoan



Series: Falling Slowly [2]
Category: The Avengers (2012), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Angst, Comfort to come later, F/M, Fem!Steve, Hurt, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Rule 63
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-16
Updated: 2013-04-16
Packaged: 2017-12-08 16:43:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/763648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babukoan/pseuds/Babukoan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part Two of the Falling Slowly Series, depicting the developing relationship between Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Stephanie Rogers.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes being here is the only thing that matters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here

          Bruce looked up from his hands when the door flew open. “She’ll be fine, Tony,” he said hoarsely, rubbing at his palm with a thumb. Both hands appeared raw, as if they were scrubbed obsessively. He smiled sadly at his lover. “You didn’t have to rush home.”

          Tony straightened his tie, tugging his jacket so it lay straight. All was a vain attempt not to appear as panicked as he felt. He approached the still figure in the bed before him. “Coulson calls to say some mad man took a shot at my man and Cap stepped in to take the hit. No, you’re right. I should have stayed to hear the rest of last quarter’s analysis.” There was no bite in his snark as he gently brushed Steph’s bangs from her forehead. His hand traced the bandage wrapped firmly by skilled hands.

          Bruce stood up from the chair he positioned on the other side of the bed. “The bullet grazed her, but she hit her head. She’s concussed and lost some blood.  Given her high metabolic rate and the healing properties of the serum, she’ll be up and about in no time.”

          “Hit her head on what?” Of course Tony would hone in on that detail. Bruce had foolishly hoped he could get away with not reliving this afternoon’s debacle.   

          Bruce looked away quickly. “The Other Guy didn’t take to being shot at. His response may have been overzealous.” A warm hand cupped his cheek, redirecting focus from a spot on the floor. He was pulled back from hours’ worth of introspection insistently.

          “Hey. None of that. She’ll be fine. You said.” Tony tugged his rumpled scientist close and kissed him lightly. “I take it Big Green took care of whoever thought attacking you was a good idea.” His thumb caressed a stubbly cheekbone, grounding the man outside the monster to the immediate present.  
  
          Bruce nodded, his brow just slightly less furrowed now. “I don’t really know who he was.” He slumped back into his chair. He wasn’t even surprised when Tony gingerly perched himself at the end of Cap’s bed. The billionaire’s need for touch and proximity always increased with injuries. “We stopped by that bistro on the corner after we left the Met. We had just ordered and she was talking about her long lost dreams of art school.” He pulled his glasses off just to have something to fiddle with. “God, the way her eyes light up…”

          Tony nodded slowly, resting a hand on Steph’s blanketed knee. She may have bled, but Bruce was the one hurting here. Any uncontrolled episode left him shaken. If they were casualties… “So douche bag takes a shot at you. Captain America throws herself in the way. Jolly Green saw red…” he prompted softly, when the other man let the silence linger for too long. 

          “He knocked her out of the way. She cracked her head against a table and then the concrete.” The misery in his voice was practically palpable. He rubbed at the raw spots on his hands, as if he could still feel the blood and grime there.

          “And the asshole?” Tony was biting the inside of his cheek. If the small muscle tick under his eye was anything to go by, he was barely containing his own rage. The silence stretched for several moments this time. Each man was lost in his own thoughts: one wallowing in hauntingly familiar guilt; the other struggling through the evidence of his loved ones’ mortalities. Unconsciously Tony started rubbing Steph’s knee in soothing circles, while his lover stared at the painting on the other side of the room. He reached his other hand across the bed, latching onto Bruce’s. He had to still the constant wringing. Experience dictated that Bruce wouldn’t stop until the stains of his own blood washed away any others. “So Iron Man won’t need to go out and blast anyone,” he said as lightly as possible. It came out sounding stilted and rough.

          Bruce stared at their joined hands. The contrast between red and tan was momentarily mesmerizing. “The bistro was leveled, but no one else was hurt. I guess that’s something.”

          “You are a hero.”

          Bruce snorted derisively. “No, _he_ just doesn’t like people touching his --”

          Tony nodded knowingly. He’s witnessed the unbridled protective fury of the Hulk firsthand. “You know maybe we ought to clue her in on how--”

          “On how we’re both in love with her?”

          “On how she’s ours.” They shared a long look full of fear, regret, and promise. Things could not keep going on this way. Clearly denial had a price more painful than any hypothetical rejection. Their attention was pulled towards the prone figure between them as she started to stir. Tony quickly removed his hand from her knee and stood up slowly. “Wakey, Wakey, Spangles.”

          “Where?” she croaked softly. “Wha-- ?” She bolted upright. “Oh no! Bruce!”

          The man in question quickly eased her back down. “It’s fine, Stephanie. I’m ok.” His words and firm touch were reassuring as she tried to piece together the events of that afternoon.

          “But that man…”

          Tony returned to his perch on her bed, albeit a few inches farther from the now awake soldier. “Hey. You’re back in your room at the Tower. Bad guy vanquished. Day saved. Everything’s alright except for that bump on your head.” He tapped her forehead lightly.

          Steph looked back at him unable to hide a wince. Her head throbbed under his prodding. “Stark? What happened?” Blue eyes darted between the two men searchingly.

          “Well…” Bruce began, zeroing in on the pink-tinged gauze affixed to the side of her head. A wave of guilt washed over him as he tried to find the words.   

          Tony cut in. “You really shouldn’t throw yourself in front of bullets sans shield. It just makes everybody a bit nervous and uppity.”

          He was unfazed by the glare she leveled him with. He just continued to smile back at her charmingly, except there was something different lurking behind that cocky grin. It was somewhat fearful, conflicted, and perhaps tender. Before she could contemplate the man before her fully, she pieced together what must have happened. Concern for her lunchtime companion flooded through her, but a simple shake of the billionaire’s head set her back at ease. It was over. They could all talk about it later. “Yes, but I’m still here. So’s Bruce. That’s what matters,” she said firmly, working to catch her friend’s eye. “Right?”

          Bruce looked between her and Tony before gently squeezing her shoulder. “Yeah. We’re here.” He sat down on the other side of her as Tony made himself more comfortable against the footboard. “How about I take a peek at your head? See how everything is healing?” He redoubled his previous effort to bottle his guilt, honing in on the marred flesh under the soiled gauze. Pretty blue eyes, so open and trusting, drew his attention from his once bloodstained hands. With those eyes and Tony’s soft smile perhaps he could eventually bury that man’s ghost with all of the others.

          As Steph settled back against her pillow, she couldn’t help but wonder what exactly the tender, distracted looks they were sending her meant. How long had she been unconscious? Who was that man? Was Bruce in danger? Most importantly, was he going to be ok? However, sustained concentration was impossible as her head continued to pound. The soft cadence of Tony’s nervous rambling coupled with Bruce’s gentle touch slowly lulled her to sleep. Everyone was safe at home now. She could think about it all tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> All comments and suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading! I'll be starting on the next parts of the series soon. We'll find out more about the incident at the bistro, how Bruce is really holding up, and what those tender glances mean for Steph's future with the team.


End file.
